Stef’s teacher, Bernie Glassman, Roshi, offers the following reflection of Stef’s life in the Zen Peacemakers Newsletter:
In 1975, Flora Courtois, one of the founding members of the Zen Center of Los Angeles, told Maezumi Roshi, its spiritual head, about a wonderful Quaker fundraiser who had raised lots of money for the American Friends. ZCLA needed money, so Roshi agreed to a meeting, and Stef Barragato came to the Zen center. It was quickly obvious that Stef was very good at his work. He believed not just in cultivating donors but also in developing genuine relationships for the long run; fundraising was a practice. Maezumi Roshi also believed in developing relationships, but in his culture it was considered impolite to actually ask for money, so he had a hard time following his new student’s advice. Continue reading